Blowout
by Dax Whittaker
Summary: Seventh Year begins well for Max Hart; good friends, a hot transfer student on the graduation party committee, and Lily and James finally seem to be getting along. Why is Sirius acting weird, though, and why is he determined to piss off Ranger? Personalities clash, romance is born, and everything will culminate in the biggest Graduation Blowout that Hogwarts has ever seen. SBXOC


**Chapter One**

"Maxine!" my mother's voice was shrill with impatience as she pounded on my door, "You're going to be late for the train!"

"Calm down, mum!" I grumbled, carefully withdrawing myself from my covers, "It's only 10 o'clock- we can apparate to the Platform with plenty of time to spare."

My mum considered, and let me be with one last warning that I'd better not go back to sleep. As if I could, after _that_ wake up call. I sat up, running a hand back through my chin-length, mousy brown hair. I gingerly set my bare feet on the cold floor, shivering before I stood. I grabbed my wand off the bedside table and cast a simple warming charm. Being seventeen sure had its perks.

Satisfied with the temperature of the room, I got dressed in my Hogwarts uniform. Most kids showed up in street-clothes and then changed on the train, but I'd never really seen the point in that. I finished off the uniform with my Gryffindor tie. Finally dressed, I turned my attention to my bare trunk that sat open at the foot of my bed. I raised my want again and swept it across my room. My various school things soared into the trunk in a messy heap. I frowned at the mess, but shrugged and closed the lid, muttering to myself.

"Lily can fix it later."

The mention of my friend drove me over to my desk, picking up the latest letter that she'd sent me. I scanned her elegant handwriting, smiling.

_Max,_

_Thank Merlin that it's almost September. I can't__ wait__ to get out of here. I mean, I love my family dearly, but Tuney's being just __awful__. And she has some dreadful new fiancé who very closely resembles a whale. I'll tell you all about it when I see you!_

_Also, I do have some good news- I've just had a letter from Professor Dumbledore. Guess who's the new Head Girl!_

_Lots of Love,_

_Lily_

Rereading the last paragraph brought a thoughtful frown to my face, and I began to rummage around on my desk. I leafed through a few other scraps of parchment before I found the one I was looking for. It was a letter from one of my oldest friends, James Potter. Our mums had been school chums, so James and I had practically grown up as siblings. I searched James's letter until I found the part I was looking for.

_I swear Dumbledore's gone nuts, though- you know he's made me Head Boy this year? Man must be senile._

I let out an audible bark of laughter, wondering how it had taken so long for me to put the pieces together. James and Lily as Head Boy and Girl? With their track record, Hogwarts would be lucky to survive the year.

James was head over heels in love with Lily Evans- not just puppy love or a crush, either. He was crazy about her. It was particularly sad to see considering that Lily would never give him the time of day and hated his guts. Ever since first year, Lily had thought James was the worst person on the planet. Halfway through fifth year, all that had seemed likely to change, though. Near the end of that year, something had happened, and whatever it was sent Lily right back to despising James. There had been no sign of an opening for returning to their previous near-closeness. I didn't know what had happened, and nobody would tell me, but it occurred around the time that Lily also finally got rid of Severus Snape.

Anyways, whenever James and Lily were in the same room, sparks tended to fly. Sometimes literally (they nearly burnt down the Gryffindor common room in third year).

"MAXINE!" Mum's voice rumbled through the house again, "HURRY UP!"

Seventh year was shaping up to be _very_ entertaining.

X X X

Platform 9 ¾ was filled to the brim with witches and wizards, as per the norm. Smoke from the scarlet Hogwarts Express engine billowed over the top of my head, and I struggled to lift my trunk on board.

"Merlin's pants," I gasped, giving another useless heave, "You'd think that after six years of this, I'd-"

A pair of hands grabbed the other end of my trunk, lifting it effortlessly into the cargo hold. My shoulders sagged with relief, "Thank you so much, I don't know why I couldn't- Oh. Hi."

I almost hit myself for stammering off at the end. Standing in front of me was the perfect sculpture of a man- tall and slender, but well built, he had dark skin, darker hair, and even darker eyes. Running through said deep brown hair was a flash of bright, fiery red, undoubtedly charmed in. On anybody else, a red streak like that would be cheesy, but on this guy…

He laughed, a deep, musical voice that almost had me drooling, "You looked like you could use the help. I'm Ranger, by the way. Ranger Dawling," he stuck out his hand, which I shook, "Seventh year."

I blinked, "Seventh? I thought I knew everybody else in my year, though. What House are you in?"

Ranger glanced down at my hand, which I realized was still shaking his. I dropped it immediately, giving an embarrassed cough, and he moved on, "I'm actually a transfer student. I'm new this year," Ranger explained, "You know, I don't believe I caught your name?"

"Oh, right!" I said hurriedly, "Sorry, I'm-"

"MAXINE HART!" I jumped, looking around wildly for the source of the voice calling my name. I quickly spotted the dark, messy hair and wire glasses of James Potter, waving enthusiastically from his spot next to the tall, sandy-haired Remus Lupin and the well-built Sirius Black, "WHO'S THE HOTTIE?"

"GET IN THERE, GIRL!" Sirius let out a shrill wolf whistle. I groaned, turning back to Ranger, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"I'm Max," I gave a forced laugh, shaking my head a little, "And those are my friends," I gestured vaguely back towards the boys.

"Well, Max Hart," Ranger grinned, a drop-dead sexy smirk, "I guess I'll see you around."

He turned and walked away, giving me a great view of his fantastic butt. James and Sirius appeared at my shoulders, the latter letting gout a low whistle, "Look at that _arse_, Prongs!"

"I know, Padfoot," James replied, "Isn't he just dreamy?"

"Shut up, you pricks," I muttered, jabbing them in their stomachs with my elbows, "Why did you have to embarrass me like that?"

"It's our job, mate," James slung an arm around my shoulder, steering me towards the train, "Any potential boyfriend material for our little Maxie must be thoroughly vetted beforehand."

I opened my mouth to protest the 'our little Maxie' comment, but Remus piped up, interrupting me, "Who was Mr. Tall-Dark-And-Handsome, anyways? I didn't recognize him."

"Ranger Dawling," I sighed, "Transfer student, in our year. Even his _name_ sounds unbelievably sexy, doesn't it? Hey, Sirius, mate, what gives?"

I knocked Sirius's hand away from my face, giving him a pointed look. He shrugged, grinning, "Just wiping away the drool."

I pushed Sirius out of my way in retaliation, boarding the Hogwarts Express first. I was immediately bowled over by two tall, skinny girls in a big pile of hug.

"Max, where have you _been?"_ Gracie Cunningham demanded. I had to push some of her curly, black hair out of my mouth. Her hair may be soft as silk and smell like cherry blossoms, but it doesn't taste that great.

The second girl, with flawless skin and shiny, auburn locks, continued the expression, "Gracie and I have been looking for you _everywhere!"_

I laughed, gently pushing my friends off me, "Sorry, Lily, I got caught up at cargo by the most beautiful member of the male species. You won't believe it, he-"

"Oi, you!" Sirius bellowed, still on the Platform. He was shifting a bit nervously, probably because the train whistled had blown for last-call, "We all know how good looking I am, but some of us still have to get on the train!"

Behind him, James gave a sheepish wave and a smile, "Hi, Lily!"

"Potter," Lily acknowledged, stalking off down the corridor. Gracie immediately followed. I hung behind for a second, giving James a sympathetic shrug and a mouthed 'sorry!' before taking off after Lily.

The girls and I settled in a compartment near the middle of the train. I sighed when I sat down, giving Lily a hard look, "Lily, really, I love you, but what is so wrong with James that you won't even give him a chance?"

Lily groaned, "Max, please, let's not do this again," she looked away from me, "You know how I feel."

I did; she'd made it abundantly clear exactly what she thought about James, "He's grown up a lot, though! He hasn't hexed anybody in the hallways since fifth year!"

"But he still-" Lily started irately, but I cut her off.

"Still pulls pranks and sneaks around with Sirius and Remus?" I raised my eyebrows, "Of course he does! That's who James is; he always has to cause a little trouble. But their pranks are never malicious anymore, and you know that. Isn't there any part of him you like at all?"

Lily was quiet for a bit before speaking up, "I suppose he has nice arms."

I stared at lily, slightly bewildered, before both of us burst out in raucous laughter.

"This is a milestone, indeed," Gracie was grinning from by the window, "Lily Evans has finally admitted that James Potter has fine arms!"

Lily's face flushed red, "You can't tell anybody that I- oh, bollocks!" Lily jumped up, "I'm going to be late for the Prefect's meeting!"

She raced out of the compartment, closing the door behind her. I looked at Gracie thoughtfully, "You reckon anybody's told her that James is Head Boy, yet?"

The compartment door slid open again, and Sirius and Remus entered, "Told who what?"

"Sirius, do you usually make a habit of eavesdropping?' Grace rolled her eyes, shifting to make room for Remus on her bench while Sirius shoved me over to sit down.

"He actually does," Remus rolled his eyes, "But what were you saying about James?"

"We were just wondering if anybody had told Lily yet that he's the Head Boy," I replied, "Considering they'll be working so closely this year."

"Oh, blimey," Remus blinked, a bit taken aback, "I guess I never really thought about that."

"Hogwarts won't make it through the year," Sirius shook his head sadly.

"You know, just this morning I was thinking the same thing, but now I'm not so sure," I shot Gracie a sly look before turning to stare out the window at the rapidly passing Scottish countryside, "This may be the year that Lily Evans finally comes around."

X X X

When Lily returned, she wasn't in a great mood. She slid open the compartment door, immediately ordering Sirius and Remus to leave, "You two. Out. _Now._"

Remus waved a cordial goodbye, dragging a grumbling Sirius along with him, "Bye, ladies; see you at the feast."

Lily shut the door behind them, throwing me an accusatory glare, "You knew."

"I haven't the slightest idea to what you are referring," I feigned innocence, grateful when Gracie cut over the top of me.

"How was it?"

Lily sat down, looking puzzled, "I don't know. It actually wasn't bad. Potter was… Decent? No, he was nice. And he gave good instructions to the Prefects."

I shot Gracie a knowing look, which she returned.

"He wasn't…" Lily frowned, looking a bit distressed. It was a little understandable, considering that all of her perceptions of James were beginning to crumble apart, "I don't know, can we talk about something else? Max, when you first showed up, you were starting to say something about an attractive dude?"

"Oh man," I sighed, "You guys, this _boy_. His name is _Ranger._ And you would not believe the bum on this guy. It's the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen."

I proceeded to give a pretty detailed description of my interactions with Ranger, although I substituted James and Sirius's embarrassment for just Sirius, thinking that Lily could use as much James-free conversation as possible right now. She didn't seem to be paying attention, though. She was zoned out, staring off into space; probably trying to puzzle apart her new and changing feelings.

_Lily Evans and James Potter._ I mused. _Who'd have thought that this would ever happen?_

**Author's Note:**

Hi, guys; this is the first chapter of my fic, obviously. I'd say that this is my first fic and ask you to be gentle, but that would be a lie. This is just the first one that I'm uploading and _keeping_ up here. I had another one up pretty recently, but decided that I'd started it too quickly without really knowing where I wanted to go with it. I have a bit more direction here with _Blowout_, so I really hope you guys like it!

I'd really appreciate some reviews, but if you're not feeling it, then it's okay. If you want to leave some criticism or just say high, though, feel free.

Thanks a bunch for reading!


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